On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

- Acts 1:4-5

I believe in the Holy Spirit

- from The Apostles' Creed

Waiting for a gift is the hardest part.

In today's passage, Jesus commands his disciples to wait in Jerusalem. If waiting's hard, waiting in Jerusalem would be even harder. Jerusalem was a dangerous place for the followers of Jesus to be. All of the post-resurrection accounts of these disciples' meetings with Jesus either happen behind closed doors or outside of the city. The people who put Jesus to death wanted his movement to stay dead.

Waiting must have been difficult, but this gift was worth it. The Holy Spirit had been a quiet but significant player in the biblical story. He hovers over the waters during the creation of the cosmos (Genesis 1:2). He filled David as he served as King over Israel. He filled people and places for God's purposes throughout the Old Testament.

Jesus was telling his disciples that this same Spirit will be given to them, if they'll wait for him.

This week we'll be talking about the Holy Spirit. When you think about the Holy Spirit, what thoughts and feelings come to mind?